stethoscope

American  

[steth-uh-skohp] / ˈstɛθ əˌskoʊp /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. an instrument used in auscultation to convey sounds in the chest or other parts of the body to the ear of the examiner.

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stethoscope British  

/ ˈstɛθəˌskəʊp, stɛˈθɒskəpɪ, ˌstɛθəˈskɒpɪk /

noun

1. med an instrument for listening to the sounds made within the body, typically consisting of a hollow disc that transmits the sound through hollow tubes to earpieces

2. Also called: obstetric stethoscope.  a narrow cylinder expanded at both ends to recieve and transmit fetal sounds

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stethoscope Cultural  

1. An instrument used in listening to internal body sounds. Most familiarly, physicians and nurses use it to listen to heart sounds.

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Other Word Forms

• stethoscoped adjective
• stethoscopic adjective
• stethoscopist noun
• stethoscopy noun
• unstethoscoped adjective

Etymology

Origin of stethoscope

First recorded in 1810–20; stetho- + -scope

Explanation

A stethoscope is the device that doctors and nurses use to listen to your heartbeat. Many medical workers walk around wearing stethoscopes around their necks. Made up of the Greek stethos, "chest or breast," and the suffix -scope, "an instrument for seeing," the meaning of stethoscope is fairly straightforward. It's an instrument that's used to "see," or more accurately, to hear, inside your chest. During a medical exam, your doctor will listen to your heartbeat and the sound your lungs make as you breathe deeply. Veterinarians use stethoscopes too, for listening to their animal patients' hearts and lungs.

Example Sentences

The 39-year-old admits it has been a "steep learning curve" as he swaps out the set pieces for the stethoscope in his new role at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

The viola sounds like a heartbeat heard through a stethoscope.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

“I’ll be replacing your doctor,” said the new man while abruptly applying a cold stethoscope.

From Slate • Mar. 23, 2025

Her stethoscope was still draped around her neck, and she was wearing raspberry-hued sneakers — comfortable enough for a 12-hour shift and, as she noted with characteristic emergency-medicine dark humor, good at camouflaging blood stains.

From New York Times • Apr. 25, 2024

Then, beyond Chas’s shoulder, at the edge of the dance floor, I caught a glimpse of green surgical scrubs and soft black hair draping over the glint of a stethoscope.

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith